In 1983, India created history when they lifted the cricket World Cup in England. Considered underdogs, the boys, then led by a determined Kapil Dev, went on to win the trophy. The success was special as they defeated the mighty West Indies in the finals. Cricket became the most favourite sport in the country after the triumph. Cut to present, Team India will be off to England on a similar mission. Beginning 29 May, the ICC Cricket World Cup is all set to kick off.
Things were different when Dhoni and team became world champions in 2011. They beat Sri Lanka to win the trophy, but in home conditions. The hosts lifting the trophy for the first time was indeed a record. But cricket pundits say it was nowhere close to the feat the team managed in 1983. The question on everyone’s mind is will they conquer England again? A 15-member squad has been named and Virat Kohli is all set to lead the side with some big names like Dhoni, Rohit and Dhawan in the side. And the likes of Bumrah, Shami and Bhuvi are sure to strengthen our seam attack.
Interestingly, the World Cup will see a different format this time. The group stage format is a round-robin, where all 10 teams play each other once, in a single group. This means a total of 45 matches will be played, with each team playing a total of nine matches. The top four teams from the group will progress to the knockout stage. A similar format was previously used in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. There will be plenty of action and lots of challenges. Will India bring home the trophy? Wait & watch.